Why Test?

Every manufacturer wants their product to hold up when it’s being used and stored in the intended ways. Plenty of equipment fails after being subjected to weathering forces over extended periods of time. While many people may think that water is the only environmental factor that can negatively affect a piece of metal equipment because it causes rusting, this is not the case. The sun can also have a significant impact on the quality of outdoor equipment.

Exposure to solar radiation and heat over time can bring about undesired effects on both visual and structural properties of coatings and substrate materials. Whether being subjected to direct sunlight or only experiencing it through glass (like a car interior through a windshield), products degrade under the ultraviolet (UV) waves our sun produces.

Accelerating the Process

Observing and measuring the changes UV can enact would be far too slow of a process in real time. For this reason, ATS performs accelerated UV testing, to simulate the effects of long-term environmental exposure on sample materials. We are A2LA accredited to perform this method to the standard of ASTM G154. By exposing testing samples to UV radiation for longer periods and at more intense levels than it would naturally encounter, we can speed up the simulation to render results from years of actual exposure in a matter of weeks.

About the Method

The method involves placing the sample material into a fluorescent UV chamber to undergo a predetermined amount of cycles. This machine emits UV radiation at a controlled rate for a given time. To best simulate live conditions, our UV chambers also create weather cycles by introducing fluctuating temperature, humidity, and exposure periods. By controlling for all of these weathering factors, ATS technicians can better determine whether the sample material will hold up for a predetermined period in foreseeable weather conditions.

ATS & Fluorescent UV Testing

For over 50 years, ATS has provided testing, engineering consulting, and inspections of the highest caliber. We are proud to serve clients from around the world, who represent an assortment of different industries. Our team of technicians delivers timely and accurate findings due to their experience performing the relevant test method and their access to our lab’s powerful testing equipment. Let ATS take care of your UV testing needs – we take a closer look.